Various types of horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge systems have been previously proposed. A typical previously employed apparatus utilizes a rotating holder or rotor formed by a pair of spaced rotary wings, with a separation column array mounted on one side of the rotor and a counterweight mounted on the other side of the rotor for balancing the apparatus. Suitable drive gearing or other coupling arrangements have been provided for eliminating the necessity of employing rotating seals.
The previously employed centrifuge systems are relatively limited in their operation since they allow only one column holder to be used for separation in a given system and have a relatively limited partition efficiency. Furthermore, in such previous systems with a single column, if recycling of eluate is attempted, the recycling of the early peaks results in contamination of the later peaks.
A preliminary search of the prior art revealed the following prior U.S. patents as showing the present state of the art:
Ito, U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,025 PA1 Ito, U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,460